Resonating attachment for soundboards.



J. W. SPRINKLE.

RESONATING ATTACHMENT FOR SOUNDBOARDS\ APPUCATION mzo ocT. 92.. 1916;

1,258,491; Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

JOHN w. srnmxm, or rnrnmnnrnn, rnmwsrnvanm.

' nnsonaTme ATTACHMENT iron soummonnns.

Application filed October 12, 1918. Serial No. 123,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. SPRINKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Resonating Attachments for Soundboards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to muslcal instruments, and has particular reference to improvements in the Soundboards of pianos..-

An object is to provlde a piano soundboard w1th an associated resonator having a stylus in physical contact with vibratory portions, of the. soundboard, whereby the vibration of the latter will be transmitted to the resonator. A further object resides in. providin means for regulating and maintaining pressure between the bridge of said resonator and the soundboard, whereby the vibrations I of the latter will be transmitted to-the resonator.

7 ments and arrangement of parts which. will Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elebe exemplified in the construction herein described and indicated in the following claim.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of the varlous possible embodiments of the invention,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a piano illustrating the application of the resonator,

comprising the present invention, to the soundboard of a piano,-

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views of the drawing.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a piano frame to which is suitably secured, in any convenient manner, the usual'soundboard 2, the latter being of any standard design and construction. The various functions of the members 1 and 2 are, of course, generally.

understood and therefore it will not be necessary to specifically de'scribe their purposes.

One or more resonators 4 are arranged 111 physical contact with the soundboard 2. It .Wlll be understood that a plurality of the bodies 4 maybe used in connection with the soundboard but, as has been shown in the drawing,'when only one-is'used very satisfactory results have been obtained.

Preferably,- the body 4 is placed contigu' ous to the central portion ofthe soundboard, as it is at this point where the greatest vibration of the soundboard occurs. As shown, said body is generally ositioned adjacent to the back of the soun board and is confined between the uprights 5 of the frame. However, while this location has so far been specification of Letters ratent; ffatnjj egl Mar, 5, 1918 found to be the most desirable, it is, of I course, within the scope of the invention to locate the body 4 within or without the piano, 'with the only restriction that the same be placed so as to vibrate in unison with the soundboard.

The resonant body 4 is preferably made from the same material and of the same general construction and contour as the body of a violin, guitar or other-similar instrument.

The body is provided with upper and lower cross pieces 6, which extend beyond the periphery of said body. The horizontally disposed sections 7 of the cross pieces are provided, adyacent to their outer extremities,

.with openings 8, the latter bein adapted to receive the shanks of manua 1y operated tightening bolts 9, which are rotatably mounted in openings 10 formed in brackets 11, secured. to the uprights 5 of the piano frame.

Formed on or secured to the inner face 12 of the body 4 is a bridge 13 which is disposed so as to contact with the appjroxithe soundboard will be readily controlled- While one method has been disclosed for associating the body 4 with the soundboard, it is to be understood that this result can be accomplished by various other methods, such as connecting the body 4 directly to the soundboard. Moreover, while the body 4 has been described as being the same general contour as the body of a violin or the like, it will be apparent that this construction is not mandatory, as,the body 4 can have other forms.

Having described the invention, 'what is claimed as new and patentable is The combination with a soundboard of a 10 musical instrument and its frame, of a hollow body of substantially violin-shape having openings therein, means for adjustably supporting said body on the frame so that the same may be moved toward and away from the soundboard, and a projection on said body engaging with the soundboard.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN W. SPRINKLE. 

